oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第73章

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Noah　Claypole　Is　Employed　By　Fagin　On　A　Secret
Mission。


The　old　man　was　up；　betimes；　next　morning；　and　waited　
impatiently　for　the　appearance　of　his　new　associate；　who；　
after　a　delay　that　seemed　interminable；　at　length　
presented　himself；　and　commenced　a　voracious　assault　on　the　
breakfast　“Bolter；”　said　Fagin；　drawing　up　a　chair　and　seating　
himself　opposite　Morris　Bolter。　

“Well；　here　I　am；”　returned　Noah。　“What’s　the　matter？　Don’t　
yer　ask　me　to　do　anything　till　I　have　done　eating。　That’s　a　great　
fault　in　this　place。　Yer　never　get　time　enough　over　yer　meals。”　

“You　can　talk　as　you　eat；　can’t　you？”　said　Fagin；　cursing　his　
dear　young　friend’s　greediness　from　the　very　bottom　of　his　heart。　

“Oh；　yes；　I　can　talk。　I　get　on　better　when　I　talk；”　said　Noah；　
cutting　a　monstrous　slice　of　bread。　“Where’s　Charlotte？”　

“Out；”　said　Fagin。　“I　sent　her　out　this　morning　with　the　other　
young　women；　because　I　wanted　us　to　be　alone。”　

“Oh！”　said　Noah。　“I　wish　yer’d　ordered　her　to　make　some　
buttered　toast　first。　Well。　Talk　away。　Yer　won’t　interrupt　me。”　

There　seemed；　indeed；　no　great　fear　of　anything　interrupting　
him；　as　he　had　evidently　sat　down　with　a　determination　to　do　a　
great　deal　of　business。　

“You　did　well　yesterday；　my　dear；”　said　Fagin。　“Beautiful！　Six　
shillings　and　nine…pence…halfpenny　on　the　very　first　day！　The　
kinchin　lay　will　be　a　fortune　to　you。”　

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“Don’t　you　forget　to　add　three　pint…pots　and　a　milk…can；”　said　
Mr。　Bolter。　

“No；　no；　my　dear。　The　pint…pots　were　great　strokes　of　genius；　
but　the　milk…can　was　a　perfect　masterpiece。”　

“Pretty　well；　I　think；　for　a　beginner；”　remarked　Mr。　Bolter　
complacently。　“The　pots　I　took　off　airy　railings；　and　the　milkcan　
was　standing　by　itself　outside　a　public…house。　I　thought　it　might　
get　rusty　with　the　rain；　or　catch　cold；　yer　know。　Eh？　Ha！　ha！　ha！”　

Fagin　affected　to　laugh　very　heartily；　and　Mr。　Bolter　having　had　
his　laugh　out；　took　a　series　of　large　bites；　which　finished　his　first　
hunk　of　bread…and…butter；　and　assisted　himself　to　a　second。　

“I　want　you；　Bolter；”　said　Fagin；　leaning　over　the　table；　“to　do　a　
piece　of　work　for　me；　my　dear；　that　needs　great　care　and　caution。”　

“I　say；”　rejoined　Bolter；　“don’t　yer　go　shoving　me　into　danger；　
or　sending　me　to　any　more　o’　yer　police…offices。　That　don’t　suit　me；　
that　don’t；　and　so　I　tell　yer。”　

“There’s　not　the　smallest　danger　in　it—not　the　very　smallest；”　
said　the　Jew；　“it’s　only　to　dodge　a　woman。”　

“An　old　woman？”　demanded　Mr。　Bolter。　

“A　young　one；”　replied　Fagin。　

“I　can　do　that　pretty　well；　I　know；”　said　Bolter。　“I　was　a　regular　
cunning　sneak　when　I　was　at　school。　What　am　I　to　dodge　her　for？　
Not　to—”　

“Not　to　anything；　but　to　tell　me　where　she　goes；　who　she　sees；　
and；　if　possible；　what　she　says；　to　remember　the　street；　if　it　is　a　
street；　or　the　house；　if　it　is　a　house；　and　to　bring　back　all　the　
information　you　can。”　

“What’ll　yer　give　me？”　asked　Noah；　setting　down　his　cup；　and　
looking　his　employer　eagerly　in　the　face。　

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“If　you　do　it　well；　a　pound；　my　dear。　One　pound；”　said　Fagin；　
wishing　to　interest　him　in　the　scent　as　much　as　possible。　“And　
that’s　what　I　never　gave　yet；　for　any　job　of　work　where　there　
wasn’t　valuable　consideration　to　be　gained。”　

“Who　is　she？”　inquired　Noah。　

“One　of　us。”　

“Oh；　Lor！”　cried　Noah；　curling　up　his　nose。　“Yer　doubtful　of　
her；　are　yer？”　

“She　has　found　out　some　new　friends；　my　dear；　and　I　must　
know　who　they　are；”　replied　Fagin。　

“I　see；”　said　Noah。　“Just　to　have　the　pleasure　of　knowing　them；　
if　they’re　respectable　people；　eh？　Ha！　ha　I　ha！　I’m　your　man。”　

“I　knew　you　would　be；”　cried　Fagin；　elated　by　the　success　of　his　
proposal。　

“Of　course；　of　course；”　replied　Noah。　“Where　is　she？　Where　am　
I　to　wait　for　her？　Where　am　I　to　go？”　

“All　that；　my　dear；　you　shall　hear　from　me。　I’ll　point　her　out　at　
the　proper　time；”　said　Fagin。　“You　keep　ready；　and　leave　the　rest　
to　me。”　

That　night；　and　the　next；　and　the　next　again；　the　spy　sat　booted　
and　equipped　in　his　carter’s　dress；　ready　to　turn　out　at　a　word　
from　Fagin。　Six　nights　passed—six　long；　weary　nights—and　at　
each；　Fagin　came　home　with　a　disappointed　face；　and　briefly　
intimated　that　it　was　not　yet　time。　On　the　seventh；　he　returned　
earlier；　and　with　an　exultation　he　could　not　conceal。　It　was　
Sunday。　

“She　goes　abroad　tonight；”　said　Fagin；　“and　on　the　right　
errand；　I’m　sure；　for　she　has　been　alone　all　day；　and　the　man　she　is　
afraid　of；　will　not　be　back　much　before　daybreak。　Come　with　me；　

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Quick。”　

Noah　started　up　without　saying　a　word；　for　the　Jew　was　in　a　
state　of　such　intense　excitement　that　it　infected　him。　They　left　the　
house　stealthily；　and；　hurrying　through　a　labyrinth　of　streets；　
arrived　at　length　before　a　public…house；　which　Noah　recognised　as　
the　same　in　which　he　had　slept；　on　the　night　of　his　arrival　in　
London。　

It　was　past　eleven　o’clock；　and　the　door　was　closed。　It　opened　
softly　on　its　hinges　as　Fagin　gave　a　low　whistle。　They　entered；　
without　noise；　and　the　door　was　closed　behind　them。　

Scarcely　venturing　to　whisper；　but　substituting　dumb　show　for　
words；　Fagin；　and　the　young　Jew　who　had　admitted　them；　pointed　
out　the　pane　of　glass　to　Noah；　and　signed　to　him　to　climb　up　and　
observe　the　person　in　the　adjoining　room。　“Is　that　the　woman？”　he　
asked；　scarcely　above　his　breath。　

Fagin　nodded　yes。　

“I　can’t　see　her　face　well；”　whispered　Noah。　“She　is　looking　
down；　and　the　candle　is　behind　her。”　

“Stay　here；”　whispered　Fagin。　He　signed　to　Barney；　who　
withdrew。　In　an　instant；　the　lad　entered　the　room　adjoining；　and；　
under　pretence　of　snuffling　the　candle；　moved　it；　in　the　required　
position；　and；　speaking　to　the　girl；　caused　her　to　raise　her　face。　

“I　see　her　now；”　cried　the　spy。　

“Plainly？”　

“I　should　know　her　among　a　thousand。”　

He　hastily　descended；　as　the　room　door　opened；　and　the　girl　
came　out。　Fagin　drew　him　behind　a　small　partition　which　was　
curtained　off；　and　they　held　their　breaths　as　she　passed　within　a　
few　feet　of　their　place　of　concealment；　and　emerged　by　the　door　at　

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which　they　had　entered。　

“Hist！”　cried　the　lad；　who　held　the　door。　“Dow。”　

Noah　exchanged　a　look　with　Fagin；　and　darted　out。　

“To　the　left；”　whispered　the　lad；　“take　the　left　had；　and　keep　on　
the　other　side。”　

He　did　so；　and；　by　the　light　of　the　lamps；　saw　the　girl’s　
retreating　figure；　already　at　some　distance　before　him。　He　
advanced　as　near　as　he　considered　prudent；　and　kept　on　the　
opposite　side　of　the　street；　the　better　to　observe　her　motions。　She　
looked　nervously　round；　twice　or　thrice；　and　once　stopped　to　let　
two　men　who　were　following　close　behind　her；　pass　on。　She　
seemed　to　gather　courage　as　she　advanced；　and　to　walk　with　a　
steadier　and　firmer　step。　The　spy　preserved　the　same　relative　
distance　between　them；　and　followed；　with　his　eye　upon　her。　

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Chapter　46　

The　Appointment　Kept。　

The　church　clocks　chimed　three　quarters　past　eleven；　as　
two　figures　emerged　on　London　Bridge。　One；　which　
advanced　with　a　swift　and　rapid　step；　was　that　of　a　woman　
who　looked　eagerly　about　her　as　though　in　quest　of　some　expected　
object；　the　other　figure　was　that　of　a　man；　who　slunk　along　in　the　
deepest　shadow　he　could　find；　and；　at　some　distance；　
accommodated　his　pace　to　hers—stopping　when　she　stopped；　and；　
as　she　moved　again；　creeping　stealthily　on—but　never　allowing　
himself；　in　the　ardour　of　his　pursuit；　to　gain　upon　her　footsteps。　
Thus；　they　crossed　the　bridge；　from　the　Middlesex　to　the　Surrey　
shore；　when　the　woman；　apparently　disappointed　in　her　anxious　
scrutiny　of　the　foot…passengers；　turned　back。　The　movement　was　
sudden；　but　he　who　watched　her；　was　not　thrown　off　his　guard　by　
it；　for；　shrinking　into　one　of　the　recesses　which　surmount　the　piers　
of　the　bridge；　and　leaning　over　the　parapet　the　better　to　conceal　
his　figure；　he　suffered　her　to　pass　by　on　the　opposite　pavement。　
When　she　was　about　the　same　distance　in　advance　as　she　had　
been　before；　he　slipped　quietly　down；　and　followed　her　again。　At　
nearly　the　centre　of　the　bridge；　she　stopped。　The　man　stopped　too。　

It　was　a　very　dark　night。　The　day　had　been　unfavourable；　and　at　
that　hour　and　place　there　were　few　people　stirring。　Such　as　there　
were；　hurried　quickly　past；　very　possibly　without　seeing；　but　
certainly　without　noticing；　either　the　woman；　or　the　man　who　kept　
her　in　view。　Their　appearance　was　not　calculated　to　attract　the　

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importunate　regards　of　such　of　London’s　destitute　population；　as　
chanced　to　take　their　way　over　the　bridge　that　night　in　search　of　
some　cold　arch　or　doorless　hovel　wherein　to　lay　their　heads；　they　
stood　there　in　silence；　neither　speaking　nor　spoken；　by　any　one　
who　passed。　

A　mist　hung　over　the　river；　deepening　the　red　glare　of　the　fires　
that　burned　upon　the　small　craft　moored　off　the　different　wharves；　
and　rendering　darker　and　more　indistinct　the　murky　buildings　on　
the　banks。　The　old　smoke…stained　storehouses　on　either　side；　rose　
heavy　and　dull　from　the　dense　mass　of　roofs　and　gables；　and　
frowned　sternly　upon　water　too　black　to　reflect　even　their　
lumbering　shapes。　The　tower　of　old　St。　Saviour’s　Church；　and　the　
spire　of　St。　Magnus；　so　long　the　giant…warders　of　the　ancient　
bridge；　were　visible　in　the　gloom；　but　the　forest　of　shipping　below　
bridge；　and　the　thickly　scattered　spires　of　churches　above　were　
nearly　all　hidden　from　the　sight。　

The　girl　had　taken　a　few　restless　turns　to　and　fro—closely　
watched　meanwhile　by　her　hidden　observer—when　the　heavy　bell　
of　St。　Paul’s　tolled　for　the　death　of　another　day。　Midnight　had　
come　upon　the　crowded　city。　The　palace；　the　night…cellar；　the　jail；　
the　madhouse；　the　chambers　of　birth　and　death；　of　health　and　
sickness；　the　rigid　face　of　the　corpse　and　the　calm　sleep　of　the　
child；　midnight　was　upon　them　all。　

The　hour　had　not　struck　two　minutes；　when　a　young　lady；　
accompanied　by　a　grey…haired　gentleman；　alighted　from　a　
hackney…carriage　within　a　short　distance　of　the　bridge；　and；　
having　dismissed　the　vehicle；　walked　straight　towards　it。　They　had　
scarcely　set　foot　upon　its　pavement；　when　the　girl　started；　and　
immediately　made　towards　them。　

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They　walked　onward；　looking　about　them　with　the　air　of　
persons　who　entertained　some　very　slight　expectation　which　had　
little　chance　of　being　realised；　when　they　were　suddenly　joined　by　
this　new　associate。　They　halted　with　an　exclamation　of　surprise；　
but　suppressed　it　immediately；　for　a　man　in　the　garments　of　a　
countryman　came　close　up—brushed　against　them　indeed—at　that　
precise　moment。　

“Not　here；”　said　N